Tag Archive | "uva-022112"

Back-to-Back: Tuesday marked the first time the Hokies have ever lost consecutive home games to the hoos in the history of the Cassell. VT is now 14-4 against uva at the Cassell. The last time VT lost consecutive home games to uva was ’54 and ’55 (granted, the two teams only played at neutral sites from ’75 to ’01, but still).

What Did Us In — Lack of Aggression: uva had 5 team fouls in the 2nd half with 16:35 to go. That meant Tech was just 2 fouls from the bonus. Over the next 12 minutes, uva committed just 1 foul. What’s that tell you? The Hokies were settling for jumpshots on the perimeter late in the shot clock, instead of attacking the tin and drawing fouls. What did VT do at the end of the game to get back in it? Attack the lane off the dribble, resulting in 11 free throws in the final 4:35. Had Tech been doing that all 2nd half, it probably would have resulted in a better outcome (what could be worse than 0 points in over 9 minutes and just 1 FG in 13 minutes?). Plus, it might have fouled out Evans and Zeglinski, who both had 3 fouls early in the 2nd half, earlier (and they scored 11 of the 14 points on the uva 14-0 run).

What Did Us In — Part 2 — FTs: A week ago VT was #1 in the ACC in league play in FT%. Now they are #3, and well behind wake and miami. We all know about the fsu game, where VT hit just 3/10 down the stretch (including missing 2 front ends of one-and-ones). But again this cost the Hokies on Tuesday — VT was just 4/7 in the final 2:02. Forget the Evans “was it before or after the shot clock” play. Had Tech made their free throws down the stretch, they win that game, or at least would have been in a better position.

What Did Us In — Part 3 — Defense: Tech is now dead last in the league in FG% Defense in ACC play. 3 of the last 4 opponents have shot over 55% against the Hokies. Tech just isn’t getting stops, unless they force turnovers. uva shot just 33% in the first meeting, but nearly doubled that on Tuesday.

Fast Break Points: Tech did not have a single fast break point last night (though I’d argue Green’s 2nd 3-pointer was, but the statistician didn’t credit VT with it). In 8 home games in 2012, the Hokies have 40 total fast break points. 5 per game. That doesn’t cut it, especially when you stink in the half court. Granted, the Hokies don’t give up many either, but they’ve allowed well over 40 and this is an athletic bunch that should be pushing the ball (see my note above about aggression).

Chasing 70: Tech has now gone 15 straight games without reaching 70 points in regulation. They’ve held to 60 or less in 8 of those games. Even uva has reached 70 twice. And georgia tech, who has been held under 40 points twice in ACC play, has eclipsed 70 in regulation 3 times.

The Cassell: The Hokies are in danger of just their 2nd losing home ACC season. VT stands at 3-4 at home with just nc state to go the following Sunday night. VT finished 2-6 at home back in 2005-06. The Hokies had finished 6-2 or better 5 of the previous 7 seasons (they were 4-4 in 2008-09).

Spread: Tech actually covered the spread (well, Sheridan’s Line from USA Today). He had uva -2.5. Amazingly, Tech has not covered a spread in 2012 when they have been favored (0 for 8). Tech has covered 3 times when they were the underdog (3 of 6).

Virginia Tech played their 4th game in a row that went down to the final shot, but Tech loses this game 61-59 to virginia, marking the first time ever they’ve lost back-to-back games in the Cassell to uva.

Another game decided in the final seconds and another disappointing loss for the Hokies. While it’s quick and easy to blame the Jontel Evans 3-pointer in the second half that was clearly a shot clock violation, or the missed free throws in the final minute, the real reason the Hokies lost 61-59 to the hoos is because they went more than 12 minutes without a field goal in the second half.

This was a hard-fought game that featured stingy defense, big three pointers, and some questionable calls that affected both teams. Between a blown timeout call that went against uva, the 3-pointer that didn’t beat the shot clock but counted anyways, and the multiple clock issue at the Cassell, this game was about as ugly as they come. Not as ugly as the Hokies going a dozen minutes without a bucket, but pretty close just the same.

Erick Green single-handedly kept the Hokies in the game in the second half. After scoring just 2 points in the first half, Green scored 17 of the Hokies’ 24 points in the second half, extending his double-digit scoring streak to 28 straight games.

uva’s Mike Scott got his 20 points due largely to the fact that the Hokies were without Victor Davila, who missed his third straight game with a groin injury. Davila held Scott to just 10 points in the first meeting earlier this season in Charlottesville, where the Hokies stunned the hoos 47-45.

Tech played a solid first half and got scoring from unexpected sources. True freshmen Dorian Finney-Smith and Marqis Rankin each score 8 points to lead the Hokies to a 35-32 halftime lead. Neither would score another point for the rest of the game. Doe Doe kept jacking up three-pointers in the second half and turned the ball over in the final seconds before the Hokies could even get a shot off. Why the ball is even in his hands at that point in the game is beyond me.

Tech shot a respectable 50 percent from behind the arc, hitting 8 of 16 shots, but they began the game 6/8 and finished 2/8. The Hokies also shot 45 percent from the field, but uva shot nearly 60 percent.

Coming out of the halftime break, the hoos quickly tied the game on a Sammy Zeglinski three-pointer, but the Hokies answered to make it 37-35 on a Cadarian Raines bucket. The hoos answered again to tie the game at 37 before Tech went on a 10-2 run to open up an 8-point lead, 47-39.

Green’s layup with about 13 minutes to play was the last bucket the Hokies would score until the final minute of the game. That gave Tech a 49-42 lead, which quickly gave way to a 14-0 run by uva.

The Hokies kept it close thanks to missed shots and free throws by uva and the fact that for the first time all season, a wahoo fouled out of a game. And not just one, but TWO players fouled out; Evans and Zeglinski.

The Hokies sent uva’s Akil Mitchell to the free throw line twice in the final minutes and he came through missing both front ends of the 1-and-1. That kept Tech in the game, but Green missed two free throws and Dorenzo Hudson missed one as well.

The opportunities to win were plentiful, but the Hokies just couldn’t take advantage.

Now for the commentary section of this recap… This was another demoralizing loss, but honestly, I was encouraged for the most part. This team is riddled with injuries (Eddie and Raines are playing hurt) and loaded with true freshmen, yet they are competing night in and night out. Their last four games have been decided by a total of 5 points. They’ve won two and lost two.

This season, at this point, is all about next season. Robert Brown, Marquis Rankin, Dorian Finney-Smith and C.J. Barksdale are all getting serious quality minutes and they’re getting better every game. This team has the potential to be very dangerous next year.

I know we’ve been saying that for years, and call me an optimist, but I think barring injuries, this team could be pretty good for the next several years. Time will tell.

The Hokies go back on the road to face duke on Saturday, Feb. 25, at noon.

— Rankin in the game for the Hokies
18-15 Rankin hits a 3-pointer from the left wing
18-17 Harris with the roll
21-17 DFS gets the three to drop after several high bounces off the rim, his second 3 of the game
21-19

U8 Media Timeout Score – 21-19 VT (7:52)

24-19 Hudson buries the three
— VT steals it from Scott
— VT turns it over
24-21 Scott scores off the fast break from the turnover
27-21 Rankin his his second 3-pointer of the game
— uva miss, VT rebound
— VT shooting 6/8 from three tonight so far
— Hudson misses a three – it was close
— uva called for a travel after getting double teams
— VT’s defense is playing out of its mind
— Ziggy called for the reach-in foul
— Hokies making the most of a mismatch with Hudson
— uva didn’t get a timeout as its player was falling out of bounds
29-21 Brown with the nice feed in the lane to Raines who slams it home
— Eddie called for the foul on Evans

49-44 Brown misses 2 FTs
— uva misses a 3 point attempt, VT rebound
— VT misses, uva rebound
49-46 Evans scores on a slashing layup
— DFS has his shot blocked, bad shot
— VT has lost all momentum
— Green blocks a shot, VT gets the loose ball
— Brown misses another excessively long 3 point attempt
49-49 Ziggy finally makes a 3 pointer
— Rankin misses a 3 pointer
— uva misses three shots, VT rebounds
— DFS misses a 3 point attempt
49-51 Evans scores to give uva the lead
49-53 Ziggy steals it and scores
— timeout VT
— DFS misses ANOTHER 3 point attempt
— foul on VT
— Eddie called for the foul, gives uva a fresh 35
— uva on an 11-0 run
— Scott misses, Eddie rebounds
— Raines misses, Hokies have gone 8 minutes without a FG
49-55 Scott scores and is fouled by Raines
49-56 Scott makes the FT
— uva on a 14-0 run
— foul on Ziggy
51-56 Brown makes 2 FTs
— Evans turns it over for uva
— more than 9 minutes without a FG for VT
— Ziggy gets a held ball call on Brown, possession arrow to uva
51-59 Evans hits a long long three to beat the shot clock
— game over —
— Green fouled
53-59 Green makes 2FTs
— Green fouled going through the lane, nearly got the shot to fall, but it didn’t
— Evans fouled out for uva, first uva player to foul out of a game this year
54-59 Green makes 1/2 FTs
— 11 minutes without a FG for the Hokies
— Ziggy misses a three, VT rebound
— Hudson fouled spinning through the lane
— Ziggy fouls out for uva, the second uva player to foul out this season
55-59 Hudson makes 1/2 FTs
— uva rebounds missed FT
— Raines called for the foul on Scott, 6th team foul on VT
57-61 Green finally breaks the 12+ minute FG drought for the Hokies and gets the foul
58-61 Green completes the 3-point play
— DFS fouls Mitchell (36.7 seconds left)
— Mitchell misses the front end of the 1-and-1, out of bounds on Scott, Hokies ball
— Green fouled going to the hoop
59-61 Green makes 1/2 FTs (26.3 seconds left)
— Raines fouls Mitchell
— Mitchell misses the front end of the 1-and-1
— DFS turns it over before the Hokies can even get a shot off
— uva misses the front end of the 1-and-1, VT rebounds, but no time for a shot

The Hokies look to give uva a taste of their own medicine on Tuesday night in the Cassell and sweep the hoos in the rematch of their January 22nd contest that VT won 47-45 at uva. Last year uva swept the Hokies, helping knock Tech off the NCAA Tournament bubble. While uva appears to be a lock for this year’s Dance, sitting at #41 in the RPI, VT could at least make them sweat it out a bit. The good news for VT is the winner of the first match-up has swept the season series in 3 of the last 4 years and 4 of the last 6.

Tuesday night will be Mike Scott’s 5th and final appearance in the Cassell (we think). Actually, the first time Scott played at VT, I think the Hokies were still playing in War Memorial Gym. Mike has done very well in the past in the Cassell, but VT limited him to just 10 points in the first meeting, 7 points below his average. In Scott’s last two trips to Cassell, he’s totaled 41 points and 26 rebounds. He has 110 points and 58 rebounds for his career against the Hokies. Ouch.

Scott is a lock to be 1st Team All-ACC, if not the player of the year. He’s 3rd in the league in PPG (17.2), 6th in rebounds (8.2), #1 in FG% (59%)*, and even #9 in FT% (82%). [*My fiance would tell you he shoots a higher percentage from the field than I do at the toilet.]

Davila is Tech’s best post defender and he was a big reason Scott only scored 10 points in the first meeting. If Victor is out, will the Hokies be able to defend Scott inside? We could see the 2-3 zone again. Foul trouble would be a major risk for Barksdale and Raines, but the zone would help mitigate that. And the zone would also help uva get decent looks from the outside. This will be the key match-up if VD can’t go.

It will also be Dorenzo Hudson’s 5th game against uva in the Cassell. He had 15 points two years ago in VT’s 61-55 win.

In the first meeting back in January, Zo scored 6 of the team’s final 8 points, including a clutch hook to put VT up 3, 44-41, and then the game-clinching 3-pointer to make the margin 47-43 with 17 seconds left to cement the win. Late in that game, Coach Greenberg had Hudson post up on uva’s smaller guards down low, allowing Hudson to shoot over the cavalier defender. It worked twice down the stretch. Hudson had 12 total points for the game.

FIRST MEETING (1/22/12 @ uva):

RECAP – Green led VT with 15, including 12 in the 2nd half, but it was Zo Hudson’s clutch 3-pointer with 17 seconds left that clinched the game for the good guys. uva had 22 FTAs to just 7 for VT (and most of those were at the end) and had 13 offensive rebounds to just 4 by VT. But uva was just 1/14 from deep, while VT hit 5/13, and as you all know, that stat decides the winner. It was the lowest point total for VT in a win over uva since 1942.

At VT in ACC Play: VT 5-2 (Tech had won 4 straight in the Cassell before last year)

STARTERS:

VIRGINIA TECH

Pos

# Player

Height

Year

PPG

PG

11 Green

6-3

Jr

15.6

SG

5 Hudson

6-5

r-Sr

11.1

SF

31 Eddie

6-7

So

9.6

F

15 Finney-Smith

6-8

Fr

6.0

C

4 Raines

6-9

r-So

4.9

Bench

1 Brown

6-5

Fr

6.9

10 Rankin

6-1

Fr

2.7

14 Davila#

6-8

Sr

7.5

uva

Pos

# Player

Height

Year

PPG

PG

1 Evans

5-11

Jr

6.8

G

13 Zeglinski

6-1

Sr

8.1

G

12 Harris^

6-6

So

12.0

F

23 Scott

6-8

Sr

17.2

F

25 Mitchell*

6-8

So

4.0

Bench

22 Brogdon

6-5

Fr

7.0

# Davila has missed Tech’s last 2 games with a groin injury and is questionable for the uva game.

^Joe Harris, uva’s 2nd leading scorer, broke his left, non-shooting hand, 3 games ago. He has averaged just 5.3 ppg since suffering the injury. He hasn’t reached double digits in those 3 games after surpassing the 10-point mark in 18 of the 21 games before the injury.

*uva has been without 7’0″ senior center Assane Sene (4.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg) since he rolled his ankle against ga tech in mid-January. Akil Mitchell (6’8?, Sophomore, 4.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg) has started in his place.

uva does not have much depth due to transfers so this could be a big issue for them. They are down to 8 scholarship players of note that see minutes.

HOT HOKIES:

Dorian Finney-Smith has hit 18 of his last 35 shots (51%) since ending his 0/25 stretch.

Marquis Rankin has hit 5/11 3-pointers after starting the season just 2/9.

Jarell Eddie has made at least 2 three-pointers in 9 of 13 games, including 4 of the last 5.

Tech has just 12 total turnovers in their last two games while their opponents have committed 29. VT also has a 16-4 advantage in steals in those 2 games.

VT COLD:

The Hokies have just 40 total fast break points in their 7 home games in 2012 (5.8 fast break ppg). They haven’t reached double digits in fast break points in any home game this year. Tech had just 4 fast break points in the game at uva (uva also had 4). By comparison, VT had 41 fast break points against campbell and north florida combined.

Tech hasn’t reached 70 points in regular this calendar year (it took OT on Saturday to get to 70 against georgia tech).

uva COLD: Senior Sammy Zeglinski has averaged just 5.2 ppg over his last 6 games, well below his now 8.1 ppg average. He scored just 5 in the first meeting.

uva HOT: Junior PG Jontel Evans, who is a horrible shooter for a point guard, has averaged 9.8 ppg over his last 4 games, pulling up his scoring average to 6.8. He had 10 in VT’s win at uva. Evans is a very talented ball-handler that can penetrate and get to the tin. He has not attempted a 3-pointer in uva’s last 6 games (play off him).

STATS:

Note: these stats are for ACC games ONLY.

VT

uva

ACC RANKING

IN

PARENTHESIS

PPG

58.7 (9)

58.2 (11)

PPG vs

63.6 (4)

54.5 (1)

FT%

72% (3)

72% (4)

FG%

39% (11)

45% (2)

3-Pt%

33% (7)

30% (10)

Made 3s PG

5.6 (t5)

4.3 (11)

FG% D

43% (7)

40% (3)

3-Pt% D

33% (8)

28% (1)

Blocks

3.0 (9)

2.4 (12)

Steals

5.5 (9)

5.8 (t7)

TO Margin

+1.9 (t3)

Even (8)

Off Reb %

31% (8)

28% (11)

Def Reb %

63% (12)

73% (1)

Interesting that uva is #1 in defensive rebounding, but 2nd-to-last in offensive. I attribute that to them dropping back on defense, since that’s their bread and butter, and not sending a lot of guys to the offensive glass.

The Hokies must do a good job on Scott again to win, but they must improve on defensive rebounding, turnovers, and free throw attempts. uva dominated all 3 stats in the first meeting (well, they didn’t dominate TOs but VT had 13, which is way too many). Tech cannot expect uva to shoot 1/14 from deep again, which is the main reason the Hokies won.

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